Do you even have a heart?
by scribblingnellie
Summary: "I have been reliably informed that I don't have one." Sherlock's line in The Great Game has intrigued me. Who told him that he didn't have a heart? And why? Is Sherlock in love impossible? This brief piece comes from mulling over those thoughts. Hoping to add more chapters to this - I have a few more thoughts so shall try to get pen to paper and get them down. Rated T for future.
1. Reunion

The smell. That perfume, Sherlock knew that perfume. It'd been her favourite.

The sharp intake of breath behind him made him turn around. She was stood in the doorway; she was there in 221B. Whatever control over his heart he'd achieved in those years was in danger of collapsing.

"Sherlock Holmes."

Her voice. Its effect on him hadn't altered. In two slow, measured strides he was standing in front of her, his hand reaching up to lightly, gently touch her cheek. Eyes still the same deep blue locked with his; her hair longer, but still a gorgeous red, gathered round her shoulders.

"Addie.." he whispered, unsure how much he could say.

Adelaide closed her eyes and held her breathe when he spoke. Covering his hand with hers, she exhaled. Her skin on his. Sherlock felt the spark, something he'd thought he'd dealt with, something he'd believed would cause him pain and had to be avoided.

"You are alive."

Adelaide drew his hand to her lips, pressing the lightest of kisses to his palm. What could he say? She was there; that was something he'd never thought would happen.

Watching her turn her back on him after the graduation ceremony, staring as she walked across the quad and through the gatehouse, Sherlock had thought that was it.

"Addie, I …"

"Shh," she put her finger to his lips, "don't spoil it. Whatever needs saying, we'll say it. Not now."

Sherlock's arms found their way round her back and Adelaide rested her head on his chest. Her hand covered his heart. And Sherlock could feel its quickening beats.


	2. Coffee

"Might not be a good idea to mix those two together, Thomas... well I'm just saying that it creates a volatile reaction..."

"Weren't you paying attention Adelaide? Professor Jones's done it hundreds of time in lectures. Perfectly safe."

"Yes, he has and yes it is. I was just pointing out that those two substances you have there..."

"Shut up. You're just trying to be a smart ass, as usual. This is a straight forward, everyday experiment. Nothing to it, I just put this…." 

* * *

Deeply breathing the oxygen in through the mask, Adelaide looked over to where the rest of the tutorial group were gathered, around the back of the ambulance. Thomas scratched at the bandages the paramedic had wrapped around his hand, scowling (how old was he? scowling?) at her.

Tosser, Adelaide thought to herself and turned away.

She had warned him; pointing out that the chemicals he had picked up would create a volatile mix. Ok, so she didn't go as far as actually pointing out that he'd picked up the wrong bottle in his overconfidence that he could replicate their professor's experiment, but that wasn't her fault. He shouldn't be so cocky.

"Wrong ammonia?"

The guy suddenly appeared next her, sniffing the air. Adelaide recognised him; he was the one the others on their course seem to avoid. Something about being an annoying prat, though they usually substituted something less polite in their description of him.

"Yep. "

"And you didn't say anything to him?"

"Nope," Adelaide looked at him, "...how did you know I..."

"Well, it's obvious you're not as stupid or short sighted as Thomas."

It sounded like a compliment.

"Thanks, I think."

"You're welcome."

He took a drag on his cigarette and offered it to her. Shaking her head, Adelaide studied him. Intense green eyes, hair in need of a cut, a slight smug, satisfied smile playing at the corners of his mouth.

"Sherlock Holmes," she said, "now, I remember. Last year's explosion in the lab."

"Adelaide Winters," he said with a smirk, "head girl Rodean, studying for degrees in chemistry and philosophy, hates spiders."

Laughing, Adelaide dropped the oxygen mask back onto the tank. "I can see why the others can't stand you."

A slight hesitation and then he smiled, sort of. Adelaide didn't miss it; it had been there in his eyes, in the way he held his lips those few seconds longer.

"But as I completely agree with you about Thomas, I think you're alright," Adelaide picked up her bag, slinging the strap over her shoulder, "right, enough standing around. I need coffee. Fancy one?"

Lighting up his face, his grin was infectious.

"Love one. The student union stuff is dreadful. I make much better coffee… in my rooms… if that's ok?"

What the hell. "Yep."


End file.
